Automobile sleigh.



PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904.

F. HARTOM. AUTOMOBILE SLEIGH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

Witnesses 1? Attorneys PATENTED SEPT. 6, 1904. P. HARTOM. AUTO-MOBILE SLBIGH.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 3, 1904.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

N0 MODEL.

Patented September 6, 1904.

PATENT QEEICE.

FRANCIS HAR-TOM, OF CANAJOHARIE, NEW YORK.

AUTOMOBILE SLEIGH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 769,438, dated September 6, 1904.

Application filed ay 3, 1904. Serial No. 206.224. 1N0 model.)

To all whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANCIS H ARTOM, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canajoharie, in the county of Montgomery and State of New York. have invented a new and useful Automobile Sleigh, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automobile sleighs, and it has especial reference to the operating and steering mechanism for such sleighs, the principal object of the invention being to provide a device of this class which shall possess superior advantages in point of simplicity, durability, and general efficiency, in which the sleigh may be conveniently and surely guided, which shall be equally well adapted to travel over a hard and icy surface and over comparatively soft and drifted snow, and in which the propelling mechanism shall readily adapt itself to rough and uneven places in the surface traversed.

\Vith these and other ends in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of embodiment of the invention, it being understood, however, that no limitation is necessarily made to the structural details therein exhibited, but that the right is reserved to any changes, alterations, and modification which come fairly within the scope of the invention and which may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the efficiency of the same.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a top plan view of an automobile sleigh constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 3 3 in Fig. 2,. Fig. a is a sectional detail view taken on the line 4 a in Fig. 3.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are indicated by similar characters of reference.

In the accompanying drawings my invention has been illustrated as applied to a sleigh of the kind which are usually known as cutters, and which as a whole has been designated 1.

Hingcdly connected with the upturned front ends of the runners 2 2 are short thill members 3 3, connected near their front ends by a cross-bar 4, upon which is pivotally mounted a longer bar, which I designate the steering-bar 5. The thill members 3 3 are provided with forward extensions 6 6, which are in the nature of arms or brackets, terminating at their front ends in annular boxes or sockets B, in which are seated bearing members 19, to be hereinafter more fully described.

9 designates the axle, carrying at its ends the driving-wheels 10. Each of the latter includes a hub 11- and spokes 12, which terminate in paddles 13, provided at their outer extremities with ice-engaging spurs 1%, wire rings 15 being extended through the several paddles in order to brace and strengthen the latter.

Centrally upon the axle 9 is secured a ball 16, having its bearingin a casingU, composed of two halves or sections 17 17, each of which is provided with laterally-extending arms 18, carrying exteriorly-convex bearing members 19, which are mounted in pairs in boxings B, each of which is composed of two suitably connected members 20 20. The members 20 constituting the boxing B are concentric with the curved exterior surface of the bearing members 19, so that the axle may be capable of rocking in a vertical plane. The boxings B are securely connected with the forward extensions (5 of the thills. The vertical rocking movement of the axle is limited by means of pins P, four of which extend into equidistantly-disposed slots S in the globular casing C, and these pins form fulcra upon which the axle may swing in a horizontal plane when it is operated by the steering mechanism, which is to be presently described, the horizontal movement of the axle being limited by the size of the rings which constitute the boxings. The casing C supports a sprocket-Wheel 17, which is connected by a chain 18 with a driving-sprocket 19 of a motor, which is conventionally indicated at M and which is obviously to be provided with convenient means whereby it may be started in motion and stopped.

The axle is connected, by means of links 21, with the steering-bar 5, and the ends of the latter are connected by a chain 22, which passes over a suitably-disposed sprocket-wheel 23, mounted securely upon a short approximately vertically-disposed shaft 24:, journaled in suitable bearings upon the body of the cutter. The shaft 24 also carries a bevel-gear 25, which meshes with apinion 26 upon a steering rod or shaft 27, which is mounted in suitable bearings and for which a hand-wheel 28 is provided. It will be seen that by rotating the shaft 27 the steering-bar 5 will be caused to rock or oscillate upon its fulcrum and that the driving-wheels may be turned so as to face in any desired direction in which the sleigh will be propelled by the said drivingwheels. Additional provision for steering the sleigh is made in the shape of a suitablyfulcrumed lever 29, one end of which is connected, by means of a link-bar 30, with a link of the chain 22. Means, such as an ordinary toothed quadrant, may be provided for retaining the steering-lever 29 at any desired point of adjustment.

The operation and advantages of this device will be readily understood from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed. The construction is simple and easily understood, and the device may be readily manipulated without especial skill on the part of the operator. The weight of the driving-wheels and the axle members will hold the same in contact with the surface to be traversed, and it is obvious that if the latter is smooth and icy the vehicle will be propelled by the spurs 13 of the driving-wheels coming in contact therewith. If, on the other hand, the surface is one of comparatively loose snow, the paddles will operate efliciently to effect the propulsion of the vehicle.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. An axle having acentrally-disposed ball member and propelling-wheels at the ends thereof, a driven casing upon the ball member, pins extending radially from the latter into transverse slots in the casing, and connecting means between the latter and a vehicle to be propelled, said connecting means including annular boxings connected with the thills of the vehicle and exteriorly-convex members connected with the casing and engaging said boxings.

2. A vehicle mounted upon runners, thills connected hingedly with said runners and having forward extensions terminating in annular boxings, an axle extending through said boxings, propelling-wheels at the ends of said axle, a globular casing inclosing the ball member upon the axle and having transverse slots, pins extending through the ball' member into said slots, and arms extending laterally from the casing and having exteriorlyconvex members engaging the annular boxings at the front ends of the thills.

3. A vehicle mounted upon runners, thills connected hingedly with said runners, a crossbar supported upon said thills, annular boxings supported by forward extensions of the thills, an axle extending through said boxings and having propelling-wheels, a central ball upon said axle, a casing connected with said ball, which is capable of oscillation within the casing, exteriorly-convex members connected with the casing and engaging the boxing supported by the forward-extending ends of the thills, a sprocket-wheel supported upon the casing, a motor supported by the vehicle and including a driven shaft carrying a sprocket-wheel, a chain connecting the latter with the sprocket-Wheel upon the casing of the ball member of the axle, and steering means'for swinging the axle in a horizontal plane.

4:. A vehicle mounted upon runners and having thills hingedly connected therewith, annular boxings supported by the thills, an

axle, driving means for said axle, including a driven casing, a ball member mounted upon the axle within said casing and members connected with the casing and engaging the annular boxings at the front ends of the thills, a cross-bar connecting the latter, a steering-bar supported upon said cross-bar, links connecting the ends of said steering-bar with theaxle,

and means for actuating the steering-bar to effect the movement of the axle in an approximately horizontal plane.

5. In a device of the class described, a driving-Wheel including a hub, spokes terminating in transversely-disposed paddles, spurs at the outer ends of said paddles, and brace- Wires extending through the latter.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

FRANCIS HARTOM.

Witnesses:

CHAs. W. WHEELER, CHAs. HOPKINS. 

